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Movie Review: Book of Eli
Published by Clay Cane on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 12:00 am.
Summary: A post-apocalyptic action-drama about a man who walks a destroyed America. He owns a special book for which others are hunting.
Review: I personally like post-apocalyptic flicks, no matter how many versions of it hits theaters and bomb. I enjoy seeing what people’s visions are of a future where there are no cell phones, internet, or television (although in this movie you can still charge an iPod!). Therefore, I truly wanted to like Book of Eli, but as hard as I tried – and Lord knows I did – I just couldn’t muster up the enjoyment for the sketchy plot, poor cinematography and an inconceivable twist ending.
Even Denzel Washington, whose acting is stellar even with the problematic script, looks bored as he mopes through the flick. The two-time Oscar winner seems uninterested and it’s no surprise since he recently said he wanted to get back to stage: “I find a lot of the movies are formulaic. I know a lot of people love them — and believe me, I’m glad they do — but I just think they’ve become formulaic.” Washington is a stone-cold actor and placing him in a movie like Book of Eli downplays his gifts.
Book of Eli is the Hughes Brothers’ first film since 2001’s From Hell. In case you didn’t catch From Hell, which was critically bashed, the Hughes Brothers are also known for unforgettable films like Menace II Society and Dead Presidents. In this movie, the Hugheses seem as lost as Eli. The movie madly bounces around the screen with a warrior who can do damage with a sword coupled with a young girl who happens to always look like a supermodel even though she rarely has soap and water – yeah, it’s one of those. Then, there is the “twist ending” (usually if it’s stressed there is a twist ending, it’s more like a knotty ending), which was eye-rolling and stuffed with religious and political agendas.
After Book of Eli, I hope the Hughes Brothers abandon these wannabe Hollywood glamor flicks and go back to gritty, raw dramas — like Dead Presidents and Menace II Society — that made their work so fresh, original and groundbreaking.
Book of Eli is in theaters now.
Like the Boondocks said BET is EVIL. How did you get this job, the ending in this movie trumpets the weak ending to Dead Presidents. What black man you know steals the equivalent of 4mil dollars gets home and stays around the neighborhood. They had an elaborate plan to knock over the feds but not a single idea as to what to do after the crime is completed talk about far fetched. The Book of Eli was meant to fantastical—i.e. its a movie if you want reality go outside.
PS two thumbs down to your writing and analysis
i went and saw this movie last night. and i absolutely loved it! Denzel is incredible in this movie, and all the others he was in. You just have to really pay attention to this movie to understand it. and for you to say this movie downplays his gifts, you are wrong. Denzel can make any movie and make you believe it and i love the fact you can feel the emotions he was going through in this movie. And for him to do his own stunts is AWESOME!
I didn’t think the movie was amazing/best I’d ever seen, but it was definitely more thoughtful than you give it credit for- especially for some of its more allegorical plot lines. You must’ve had a strict word-count requirement b/c this review just didn’t feel very thought out.
You must first believe in God…..Secondly, If you know the scriptures, then you would more than likely love this movie. The movie demonstrates many era’s where the bible was attempted to be taken away from man…..It happened during slavery 200-300 years ago and its happening TODAY!!!
This is a remarkable film and to me the BEST EVER……
God used many men/women in the bible to accomplish His work…..and miracles played a big part .
Thank you Stuart for breaking it down to the critics. If you don’t know your bible then you want understand this movie. Suggestion: read your bible first then go see the movie.
The movie was GREAT I watched it twice once at movies walk in and one at the drive in I love it both times and cant wait to get the DVD for myself, just like one of panels said you have to pay attention to the movie, and let you mind wonder into the movie like what if that really happen wil people be like that and so on, but overal the movie was good. If you love the BIBLE you will understand .
I loved the movie and agree with most that you have to know the Bible to get a real understanding. I completely disagree with your suggestion that the Hughes brothers get back to making movies like Dead Presidents and Menance To Society. Why is it still today in this country an educated black man such as yourself see us only playing “thugs” as true art. Are you a thug? Do you live a thuggish lifestyle? Black, African American or whatever we wish to call ourselves are so much more. The further removed from being nothing more than common street hoods the more we will appreciate movies about who we really are. The longer we continue to feed America the “stereotype” the longer the journey. BET, MTV and the likes are in the business of mentally crippling young black youths, to see themselves as nothing more than what you show them.
I totally agree with Clay and I wouldn’t have put it so nicely. You don’t have to know the Bible to understand their point about the world being destroyed and corrupt because man abandoned the word of God. The problem is with the making of the movie, not the theme. This movie was very slow, so unrealistic that you couldn’t get into it, it’s a serious plot yet humor was slapped in here and there, Eli was such a devoted believer that he walked for 30 years, fighting and killing all the way to his destination which happens to be Alcatraz, what a joke. His character seemed more of a Dirty Harry than a noble servant, there were so many inconsistencies in the movie, and if they wanted anyone to believe the ending they should have kept that in mind while making the movie maybe? Messy!